More obstacles for parents looking to adopt overseas
Updated: January 3, 2013
ST. JOSEPH -- Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a new law that bans Americans from adopting Russian children.
The ban is being seen as retaliation for a law that President Obama signed last month. It puts restrictions on human rights abusers in Russia but Putin's law is now restricting couples looking to start a family.
"I remember with our first adoption, Mikayla, she fell asleep in Vickie's arms and the imprint of her sweater on her cheek, that was a wonderful memory," said Carl Harshbarger. He and his wife Vickie adopted two daughters from Russia. Now, they are a family of four.
"We just truly wanted to have a family and two daughter and we're so fortunate to have them," said Carl.
"We're just happy to have them," said Vickie.
Mikayla and Mariska are both from Russia. It was an adoption process that Vickie and Carl say was hard but worth it.
"At the time we had thought about a domestic adoption but it was actually a little more difficult," said Vickie.
A thought that many other Americans share. Last year people in the US adopted almost 1,000 children from Russia and over the past twenty years, people in the US have adopted more Russian children than any other country.
"I thought about all the kids left in the orphanages because the orphanages, they're pretty rundown," said Vickie.
Now many of those kids may never find a home.
Now with this ban, these kids are going to be left there forever," said Vickie.
"It's just unfortunate that politics had to enter into this and deprive a lot of those children a chance to have a better life," said Carl.
People who support the ban say US parents have been abusive in the past citing 19 deaths of adopted Russian children since 90's.
The ban is being seen as retaliation for a law that President Obama signed last month. It puts restrictions on human rights abusers in Russia but Putin's law is now restricting couples looking to start a family.
"I remember with our first adoption, Mikayla, she fell asleep in Vickie's arms and the imprint of her sweater on her cheek, that was a wonderful memory," said Carl Harshbarger. He and his wife Vickie adopted two daughters from Russia. Now, they are a family of four.
"We just truly wanted to have a family and two daughter and we're so fortunate to have them," said Carl.
"We're just happy to have them," said Vickie.
Mikayla and Mariska are both from Russia. It was an adoption process that Vickie and Carl say was hard but worth it.
"At the time we had thought about a domestic adoption but it was actually a little more difficult," said Vickie.
A thought that many other Americans share. Last year people in the US adopted almost 1,000 children from Russia and over the past twenty years, people in the US have adopted more Russian children than any other country.
"I thought about all the kids left in the orphanages because the orphanages, they're pretty rundown," said Vickie.
Now many of those kids may never find a home.
Now with this ban, these kids are going to be left there forever," said Vickie.
"It's just unfortunate that politics had to enter into this and deprive a lot of those children a chance to have a better life," said Carl.
People who support the ban say US parents have been abusive in the past citing 19 deaths of adopted Russian children since 90's.
